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Copyright 2009-2010 by
Mary Brotherton
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Inside my Brain


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Sunday, October 11, 2009




I took quite a few photos today, each time thinking, "This is going to be the shot that defines my day," and then I'd return to my Saturday tasks and discover something even better to photograph. It's a wonder I accomplished anything. Still, this was one of my more productive domestic days. I'm almost as tired as I was yesterday after Senior Fest, though not half as hoarse. The usual tidying and laundry were easy, but I'd promised myself that I was going to rearrange my office today. I always keep my word, even to myself.

I wanted to position my computer so that I no longer have to lean over or twist to look at the lake and I wanted to stop leaving a small  barrier of items to the left of my chair. Since the wall is to the right, there was little room to place a purse, book or much of anything. I needed to organize!

Stuart had the brilliant idea for me to set my desk at an angle so that I look between my dual monitors to see the lake directly. Our house is on a corner so we don't have full frontal views, but the corner view is great. I had to disconnect everything in order to move the desk- couldn't risk breaking anything and did not have the strength, even with Stuart's help, to move the desk fully loaded. This gave me the chance/excuse to dust and discard.

One of the things not discarded was my bag of Snickers Dark bars. Some months ago, Curtis surprised me with one. He wasn't sure if I'd eat it, because he knows what a chocolate connoisseur I am. I seldom eat candy bars as such, but when I tasted my first Snickers Dark, I was hooked!  It's my current obsession. I always love when he brings me one, because I know he's been thinking of me while out doing his errands. Thursday, when Katie and I were returning to Melbourne from our errands, we stopped specifically to get a Snickers Dark bar. They were on sale! At two for $1, I stocked up. Today, I felt artistic so stacked and arranged the bars for photos - but they didn't make the cut.

Curtis called me on his way home from GRIP and told me that a sunset storm was brewing. I took some interesting photos of the pink and black cloud with lightning bolts inside, but those also did not make the cut.

I had taken before and after photos  to show my office transformation, but when I moved the figurine of a sailor and his guardian angel, I knew that had to be my photo for the day.

Twelve years ago, when Richard joined the Navy,and he embarked on his first cruise, I sent him many care packages, notes, cards and emails to make sure he knew we were thinking of him and proud of what he was doing. Every note ended with, "Go with God and sail with Angels" or "Angels are watching over you." If he told me of a particularly stressful time, I'd tell him that I would ask for special angels to watch over him.

In 2000, I'd moved to Atlanta.  For Christmas the next year, Richard gave me what has become one of my most treasured possessions. The sailor in the signed and numbered figurine is the same rank Richard was at the time. As the lone sailor stands at the rail of the ship and waves wash over the bow, an angel comes from within the water to comfort and protect him. Richard said that when he first saw the figurine, he knew he had to buy it for me, because my prayers and assurance that angels were watching over him were what helped him maintain his composure during his hardest hours on board the carrier.

Today, while organizing my office, I moved the figurine so it would be safe. As soon as I touched it, I could feel the love of a son for his mother and his understanding of his mother's love for him.